Definition of Bankroll Management

What does the term "bankroll management" mean in the world of poker? What is the definition of the term "bankroll management"?

In poker, "bankroll management" refers to the practice of properly managing your money in order to ensure that you are properly bankrolled for the games that you are playing in.

Many poker players love to gamble, and gambling can entail playing in games that are way too big for your bankroll. Regardless of how good of a player you are, variance will strike quickly and savagely if you are playing in games that you are not properly bankrolled for.

For instance - let's say that you have $10,000 to your name. In this case, sitting in a $5/$10 NLHE cash game would likely be suicidal to you and your bankroll.

In order to be properly bankrolled for a game, many people say that you should have at least 100-200 buy-ins. So, if you are planning on playing regularly in a $5/$10 NLHE cash game, you should likely have at least $100,000 in your bankroll at the bare minimum.

The same goes for tournaments - if you are planning on playing $20 SNGs, for instance, you should likely have a bankroll of at least $2,000.

Being under-rolled can be ruinous to your poker career. Instead, be patient, slowly move up the stakes while building your bankroll. This is how the vast majority of the best players in the world got their starts.